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Starmer's artificial intelligence adviser steps down
Starmer's artificial intelligence adviser steps down

Sky News

time16 hours ago

  • Business
  • Sky News

Starmer's artificial intelligence adviser steps down

Sir Keir Starmer's artificial intelligence adviser is standing aside after six months for family reasons. Matt Clifford continues to have a good relationship with Downing Street, and Sky News understands he would potentially be open to a return to help the government in the future. A government spokesperson told Sky News: "Matt Clifford is stepping down from his role as the prime minister's AI opportunities advisor for personal reasons. "The prime minister has thanked him for his dedicated work to deliver and implement the AI opportunities action plan. We will be building on this work to bolster AI expertise across government and cement the UK's position as a world leader in AI." Mr Clifford told Sky News: "It's been a privilege to spend the last year first writing and then implementing the AI opportunities action plan. "I'm grateful to the prime minister and the government for this opportunity to serve and am hugely optimistic about the UK's potential to be an AI superpower. "For family reasons, I will step back from my role as the prime minister's adviser on AI opportunities at the end of July, but I'm delighted that this important work will continue across government." Mr Clifford was the lead reviewer of the AI opportunities action plan, as well as being a member of the AI Safety Institute advisory board. As part of his backing of AI, Sir Keir accepted all 50 recommendations made by Mr Clifford in the action plan. 8:55 Mr Clifford has worked across Number 10 and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. He was appointed as Sir Keir's AI opportunities adviser in January 2025. His remit included advising on policy to grow the UK AI sector, including supporting uptake. Mr Clifford was also working to help on strategies to attract AI talent and entrepreneurs to the UK. He worked with the previous Conservative government on setting up the AI Safety Institute and setting up the 2023 AI Safety Summit.

Business Leadership Development In An Uncertain Economy
Business Leadership Development In An Uncertain Economy

Forbes

time16 hours ago

  • Business
  • Forbes

Business Leadership Development In An Uncertain Economy

Identify key risks to the business. Business leaders know the future is uncertain. The sharpest ones sketch out contingency plans for the things that could go wrong at the company. They could be external changes, such as recession, technological change, different social attitudes, new regulations, or upstart competitors. Some of the risks are internal: a critical machine goes down, the sales manager quits, or a supplier cannot deliver. The good business leader also knows that luck happens. Some external change could help the company, and the internal operations could click like they never have before. With inherent uncertainty, the business leader sketches out contingency plans for both downside risks and upside opportunities. The leader probably thinks about contingencies in the shower, in the car and listening to a boring report. But it's not enough for the top executive to think through possibilities, unless it's a one-person organization. The other people at the company, who will implement the various contingency plans, need to participate in the exercise. The best way to start is to ask the key managers. Ask them what the risks and opportunities will be. When the boss brings up a subject, like the possibility of recession, subordinates will simply nod their hods. But if the leader asks each manager to come to the meeting with a list of risks and opportunities, they need to stop and think for themselves. The team can sort through the various issues and prioritize them. The next step is to sketch out a contingency plan for each uncertainty. 'Sketch' is the key concept. Detailed plans such as would go into a three-ring binder will likely be out of date by the time the issue comes to pass. And many risks never occur, so too much time spent planning will be wasteful. However, sketching out contingency plans for risks and opportunities provides two key advantages for the business. First, plans developed in advance will be implemented more quickly. That can make all the difference in the world. Executives at companies that go bankrupt are rarely surprised. They usually see their problems developing, but delay taking action. Developing a contingency plan ahead of time really helps. The second benefit to contingency plans comes from the relaxed atmosphere in which they are created. Recessions, for example, trigger great fear and panic. Decisions usually are not best when made in a highly emotional state of mind. But when people can kick around an idea in a relaxed atmosphere, they can prioritize the business's long-term goals and corporate values. The managers who will be charged with implementing the contingency plans must own them. First, they should not be surprised. The top leader should not pull out a secret plan and direct the subordinate to implement it. Second, the managers have to believe in the plan. After involving them in contingency plan development, they may not concur with every element, but they will have seen how the plan was developed and the reasons for the tradeoffs chosen. The managers responsible for portions of the continency plan will be able to communicate with rank and file employees the basis for the plan: why it was developed and what values it tries to maintain. That will help employees better execute the plan. Similarly, when the company's suppliers and customers are impacted by the contingency plan, their company contacts will be able to communicate the reasons for the plan. When the day comes to implement a contingency plan, the one sheet of paper must be dusted off and reviewed. Some important aspects of the business may have changed, and the person who will implement the plan needs the opportunity to tell the CEO in what way the plan is obsolete. Usually just a quick adjustment is needed, but occasionally a major revision will be called for. Like any business plan, it will not work out exactly as envisioned. The department manager who must execute the plan will—hopefully—see the change that is needed. Importantly, that manager will understand the goals of the plan, including maintaining the company's vision and values. Modifying a plan goes more smoothly when the foundations of the plan are well understood. After the contingency plan has been executed, it's time to celebrate—and evaluate what was learned. That provides a natural basis for developing the next set of contingency plans.

I feel self-conscious about blowing my own trumpet, so how do I up my LinkedIn game?
I feel self-conscious about blowing my own trumpet, so how do I up my LinkedIn game?

CNA

time7 days ago

  • Business
  • CNA

I feel self-conscious about blowing my own trumpet, so how do I up my LinkedIn game?

Back in January 2024, I made a New Year's resolution to share my work more frequently on the professional networking site LinkedIn. I even posted a declaration in those terms on the platform, while sharing an article that I'd been pleased to write and felt that business professionals would be keen to read, given that it was an economic story. As with most New Year's resolutions, though, I didn't manage to follow through. Fast forward 18 months, and I've posted on the platform only two more of my articles. And out of at least 1,000 stories I've written in my journalism career to date, I've shared only four on LinkedIn. Not because I do not see the importance or usefulness of LinkedIn. Quite the contrary. For example, I have seen some insightful posts floating into my timeline as they gained good traction. I ended up connecting with some writers of such posts and interviewing them for stories. I also know of folks who've landed job opportunities through the connections they make on the platform. Not to make it sound transactional, but the point I'm making is that I do see how being decently active on what is ultimately a professional networking platform can help with one's professional growth. But each time I make a mental note to share something on LinkedIn, my self-consciousness about being seen as trying to look for affirmation for my stories would eventually get the better of me. It's either that, or the fatigue from work and life that makes the prospect of crafting those three four lines of explanation and clicking 'post' so bothersome. And that is how I have ended up with only about 30 posts even though I have had this LinkedIn account since my undergraduate days some 10 years ago. Another factor making me wary of becoming more active on the platform is the articles that I have read about bot-like activities to boost engagement. There are even "pods", groups of users – sometimes paid – who agree to like, comment on and/or repost each other's content, according to these articles. How then do I overcome my own hesitance and do enough to raise my profile somewhat on the professional networking platform? POST WITH A CLEAR 'END GAME' When I spoke to Dr Juliana Chan, the founder of a LinkedIn masterclass called Find Your Superpower, one of the first pieces of advice she gave me was to post with a clear goal in mind. 'If I am unclear about my 'end game', then it would be hard to find the motivation to post on LinkedIn in the first place,' said Dr Chan. On doing it in a sustainable manner, she suggested starting small. Generally, posting once a week is 'entirely manageable', she said. And instead of coming up with new content, I could just pick one of my hundreds of stories to begin with, she added. While I told her that I would feel like I'm blowing my own trumpet by showcasing my work, she said it is worthwhile to shift away from the 'me, myself and I' mindset and instead focus on what she described as 'inclusive storytelling' in my posts. This could include behind-the-scenes stories that could interest my readers, industry tips that may be beneficial to younger journalists or fresh graduates looking to enter the field, or even lessons that I learned from the stories that could benefit others. 'For me, LinkedIn isn't performative, I'm genuinely trying to achieve all of these outcomes for anyone who reads my posts,' she added. Ms Serla Rusli, a LinkedIn career expert, summed it up as follows: 'People respond best to original, reflective content that's grounded in real experience or insights, because that's what makes it relatable and engaging.' FROM LINKEDIN CONNECTIONS TO HOLIDAY PALS? I believe that LinkedIn is merely a tool to get in touch with a wide professional audience. But I am also aware that a comment or a like does not necessarily equate to a professional relationship. Demonstrating the possibilities of LinkedIn, Dr Chan said that she has even made real friends from the platform – people whom she ended up inviting to her birthday parties and has even gone on holidays with. As cliche as it may sound, the key to developing a proper professional relationship from a mere online connection is authenticity, according to the experts that I spoke to. Even when it comes to interacting with other people's posts, Dr Chan advised to do away with the generic 'Great post!' comment. 'It is not only a waste of your time, it is also challenging for the poster to reply to your comment besides a weak 'thanks', which means a potential connection would have been squandered,' she said. Instead, take the time to contribute something insightful and value-add to the discussion. 'I've seen my own comments attract attention simply because what I commented was not only complimentary but insightful and useful on its own!' she shard. On expanding my network and reaching out to people I don't yet know personally, Dr Chan suggested a gradual approach instead of immediately sending a cold request to connect. 'Cold connection requests fail the majority of the time,' she added. Interact consistently with their posts, before sending a request with a customised note. When the person has accepted the connection request, Dr Chan advised dropping a thoughtful message as a follow-up. '(But) whatever you do, do not try to pitch them or sell them something,' she said. Any suggestions for collaboration or partnership should come only after one finds a 'mutual professional chemistry' with the new connection. Counselling psychologist at mental health platform Intellect, Ms Nicole Lee, reminded me that although LinkedIn is career-focused, every profile belongs to a real person who wants to be seen and valued beyond their job titles and resumes. 'While the main objective of such platforms is to seek career opportunities, pursuing genuine connections can lead to more meaningful, long-term value,' she said. 'When connecting with others, it helps to look for shared interests, ask thoughtful questions, and practise active listening. When people sense genuine intent, trust and connection naturally follow.' CAREFUL NOT TO OVER-LINKEDIN Though it is good to invest effort on LinkedIn to help form new, professional relationships, the experts reminded me to always to be mindful about how much energy I invest there, as with all other social platforms. 'While they can offer inspiration and motivation, they can also subtly contribute to feelings of comparison, pressure, or anxiety, especially when our sense of self-worth becomes closely tied to job titles or career achievements,' said Ms Lee. The experts advised me to set tangible boundaries – like time limits and turning off non-essential notifications – as practical ways to safeguard myself. More importantly, they also reminded me to always be conscious about my thoughts and feelings when I navigate this platform. If I constantly compare myself to others, or I constantly feel the need to 'one-up' others in my next post, or I get caught up by vanity metrics such as 'likes', then perhaps it is time to take a step back, said Dr Chan. 'Remember: Likes on LinkedIn don't pay the bills. Only our clients, employers, collaborators and industry mentors do. Focus on finding these people,' she added. Instead of posting and engaging constantly, she added, just focus on writing one quality post and engage a handful of industry peers each week, and build up genuine relationships with those.

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